Reading through the Bible Week 8

This is not meant to be a beating, but rather a tool to give you some help in reading and understanding God’s word. If you miss a day, and can “catch up: by doubling up, then sweet. If you can’t read on certain days, adjust the schedule to fit your life. I think you will find the schedule pretty easy to maintain if you keep just a bit of discipline.

Summary:Monday: Leviticus 13 – 15
Leviticus 13 gives us a glimpse of God’s care for His people by providing a test for the dreaded disease of leprosy. It also provides for removal of the “unclean” from the camp. (Note: perfection is required to be in God’s presence and God is present with these people, hence the focus on the “unclean” things being removed from the camp; i.e. the presence of the Lord). Leviticus 14 & 15 provide laws for cleansing.

Tuesday: Leviticus 16 – 18
Leviticus 16 provides the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and the process by which the priest will make sacrifice for forgiveness of sin of the people. (Note: God is already pointing these people to a sacrifice beyond them based on their penitence i.e. Christ). Leviticus 17 reminds that atonement is made through blood sacrifice because the penalty for sin is death. Therefore only a substitutionary death could put off the judgment against sin. Leviticus 18 begins a section of laws on living and relationships, beginning with incest.

Wednesday: Leviticus 19 – 21
Leviticus 19 is a rapid fire giving of laws of community living and how to be God’s people in daily life. Chapter 20 condemns human sacrifice and further clarifies laws of incest and faithfulness. Chapter 21 lays out regulations for the priests.

Thursday: Leviticus 22 – 24
Leviticus 22 lays out guidelines for the priests and their lineage as well as the regulations for animal sacrifices. Chapter 23 gives the ordinances for the festivals and a reiteration of the Day of Atonement. Leviticus 24 begins with Tabernacle requirements and contains an anecdote of the seriousness of sin in the camp.

Friday: Leviticus 25 – 27
Leviticus 25 outlines the Sabbath years and the Jubilee requirements while providing for the redemption of the people in regards to freedom and land. Chapter 26 reminds of the blessings & curses of obedience and disobedience and chapter 27 gives regulations for commerce and consecration.

Saturday: Numbers 1 – 3
These chapters count the people of Israel and give the arrangement of the camp of the Israelites before the setting aside of the Levites as priests. The redemption of the firstborn (chapter 3) is also shown.

Sunday: Numbers 4 – 6
Numbers 4 gives the duties of the Levites by clan. Chapter 5 gives laws on defilement as well as the priestly test for adultery. (Note: much is made of the ritual of the test given here. Most of the controversy overlooks the fact that God is King & Judge in Israel and the test is meant to place the verdict not in the priests hands but in God’s.) Numbers 6 gives the requirements of the Nazirites (seen later in Samson & John the Baptist).